As used in this article 225, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. (1) Birth center means a freestanding facility licensed by the department of public health and environment that:

   1. (a) Is not a hospital, attached to a hospital, or located in a hospital;
   2. (b) Provides prenatal, labor, delivery, and postpartum care to low-risk pregnant persons and newborns; and
   3. (c) Provides care during delivery and immediately after delivery that is generally less than twenty-four hours in duration.
   4. (1.5) Client means a pregnant woman for whom a direct-entry midwife performs services. For purposes of perinatal or postpartum care, client includes the woman's newborn.
2. (2) Direct-entry midwife means a person who practices direct-entry midwifery.
3. (3) Direct-entry midwifery or practice of direct-entry midwifery means the advising, attending, or assisting of a woman during pregnancy, labor and natural childbirth at home or at a birth center, and the postpartum period in accordance with this article 225.
4. (4) Natural childbirth means the birth of a child without the use of instruments, surgical procedures, or prescription drugs other than those for which the direct-entry midwife has specific authority under this article 225 to obtain and administer.
5. (5) Perinatal means the period from the twenty-eighth week of pregnancy through seven days after birth.
6. (6) Postpartum period means the period of six weeks after birth.

Source: L. 2019: Entire title R&RE with relocations, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 1132, § 1, effective October 1. L. 2021: (1) and (3) amended and (1.5) added, (SB 21-101), ch. 196, p. 1049, § 3, effective September 1.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 12-37-102 as it existed prior to 2019.